Williams took a few hard spills on Tuesday as the Nets fell to the Celtics, and his wrist got the worst of it. This is not what Williams or the Nets needed.

That same wrist had already been troubling Williams. Toward the end of November, Williams revealed that he had been playing through a sprained right wrist.

This injury comes at a bad time for the Nets. After a flashy offseason raised expectations, the Nets sit at 14-13, but they have lost nine of their last 12, and they will be taking on a solid Bucks team that is 0.5 games ahead of them in the standings.

The Nets are not ideally prepared to handle Williams' absence. C.J. Watson is the logical solution for the starting role, and rookie Tyshawn Taylor will likely back him up. Both will be trying to fill the huge shoes Williams leaves behind.

On the season, Williams is averaging 16.6. points and 8.0 assists per game. These are solid numbers, but they are actually down from his usual production. Williams has not averaged fewer points per game since his second season in the league, and his assists are the lowest since his rookie year. He is also hitting career lows in field-goal percentage and three-point percentage.

While the Nets are surely desperate to get Williams back on the court, they would be wise to make certain he is right before doing so. They need to get their franchise player back on track.